Almost Goodbye
by Emerald Cheshire
Summary: Andrew tries to leave, after the events of 'Chosen.' Dawn desperately attempts to convince him to stay with her. Spoilers, character death, and mild-language. Please R


Disclaimer : I do not own the characters of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' I just borrow them :-D  
  
Read : This story takes place at the end of 'Chosen,' the series finale. It's a very short, Dawn/Andrew pairing. Hope you like. If you do, please leave me a review? I love critisim, anything to improve my writing. Nothing to explicit in here, just character death, some spoilers, and a little mild language.  
  
Copyright : Copyright me, Ryan Dawe, 2004. Please don't take ;-)  
  
Contact : Contact me at yourbuddyryanhotmail.com

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After Xander left, Andrew ventured away from the bus.Where was he to go? None of the scoobies would want him, after all, it was his fault Anya was dead. What if he had been a little more careful? Might she be here, alongside him? Tassling his hair and calling him a mouth-breathing, crusty-eyed twerp?  
  
He turned around, and glanced across the dead, empty, souless canyon that was once Sunnydale. Once a place where he had grown up, gone to school, met, lost, and killed his best friends. He glanced at the party standing around the bus. Buffy, looking forelorn at the empty pit. The potentials, congratulating each other a job well done. The rest of them, Willow, Xander, Giles.... well it was best to leave them alone. Faces that looked not greiving nor celebrating. Faces looking completley... stupefied. He couldn't blame them.   
  
They had won the fight, you'd think they'd be happy. At the same time, their homes were completely destroyed.. Deminished to an empty canyon. Gone.   
  
Faith was in the bus, tending to a wounded Wood. Andrew could see her fighting back tears as she struggled to keep him alive. She climbed out of the bus, after a potential had seen to him, and turned and joined the group.  
  
Then... then there was Dawn. Auburn locks of thick hair blowing gently in the breeze. Clad in denim jeans, hugging her curved hips, matching a denim, short sleeved top. It was her, Dawn, that young Andrew would miss the most. Her laugh, her geeky yet sophisticated conversation... Her warming touch as he held her close to him..  
  
The quiet, peacefulness had been broken. The scoobies were talking now in hushed voices. After watching the group for a moment, he silently said his goodbyes. Andrew sadly turned away, beginning his journey down the long, dusty road.  
  
_Why didn't I die?_ The question haunted his thoughts as he wondered where he would go.  
  
As he walked, he felt a light hand on his shoulder. The blonde haired dork turned around to find Dawn, looking at him as though he was trying to get away with something. The spot where she had touched his shoulder was warm, and tingling. It spread throughout his entire body, the way it did whenever she touched him.  
  
"What?", Andrew demanded, guiltily. She placed her delicate hands on her denim clad hips and stared at him.  
  
"Where do you think your going?" Andrew dropped his eyes, trying to think of a lie.  
  
"Oh! No where.. Just... Walking! You know.." He said, smiling unconvincingly. Dawn eyed him suspiciously. Her eyes bore into him, reading his mind. She realised then, and the truth struck her like a sword through the heart.  
  
"You're a suck-ass liar, you know that?" She said, in a choked, hurt voice. Her eyes welled up, salty tears threatening to fall at any moment. Andrew detected the hurt in her voice, nodding slowly before returning his gaze to Dawn. "Well... Your not going anywhere, you know," Dawn protested. Her light blue eyes burned into his own, as the light breeze gently played with her dark locks of thick hair. Her lips were drawn into a small pout, and hope was plastered across her face.  
  
"I-I've worn out my welcome here," He said hastily, before turning to leave. She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around so he faced her. Dawn searched his face, puzzled, hurt and confused.  
  
"Huh?" Was all she could muster. Andrew was becoming frustrated, but knew he had to handle this delicately.  
  
"Litsen Dawn, thanks, I enjoyed hanging out with you, but really who's going to miss me when I leave?" Dawn looked at him with a mixture of shock and amazement.  
  
"I would! You think I didn't enjoy staying up late and watching _Spiderman_ and _X-Men_ cartoons with you?" She protested, "You think no one is going to miss you? I would! I'd miss your popcorn tricks, y-your meaningless talks about stuff I'd never understand. I'd miss your laugh, your eyes, your hair, your nose. I'd miss the way you hold me when I'm down, and the way you look at me as though I'm more than a useless key. Like I'm someone special. I mean you were right there along side of us, fighting, and though most times your all Neville Longbottom, you came through." She paused for a moment, before continuing. "And that's good enough for me."  
  
Andrew hesitated for a moment, before putting his arms around her, wrapping her into a tight embrace. Dawn put her arms around his shoulders and returned the embrace. His clothes smelled of blood and dirt, but Dawn didn't mind. Warmth flowed through her veins as she held Andrew desperately, not wanting the embrace to end. It was enough to be here with him, and that he survived. Andrew placed a small kiss on her forehead.  
  
"I can't stay Dawn." He sighed. "I'm a useless nobody around here. I've redeemed myself, and now I want to see the world, Dawny. I'm going to see Tucker, try and get him to see the light." He held her tight. "I'll be back, I promise." Andrew stared deep into her eyes, lost in the blue pools. "Nothing as wonderful and amazing as you could keep me away."  
  
He held her a moment longer. "Love you, Dawny." A large, salty tear trickled down Dawn's cheek. He let go of her embrace, and wiped the pearly tear away. After a final look, he turned and continued down the dusty highway. Dawn stood there and watched as he slowly disappeared into the distant horizon.  
  
"Love you." She whispered into the breeze. Andrew turned around, grinned at her and waved. Dawn sniffed, wiping away her tears. Laughing, she waved back. Maybe this was the last time she'd ever see him, Ok, so she was still upset. Hurt, loss, pity and hope were still wafting through her brain, as her heart ached for him to hold her in his arms again. Deep inside her, she knew he was gone, and that she wouldn't see him for a long, long time. It was almost goodbye. 


End file.
